JAPANESE professional golfer Yuta Ikeda is currently spending his holidays in the country and has a powerful message for young aspiring golfers in Fiji.
“Anyone can be like Vijay Singh or Dinesh Chand.
“Even though golf is considered an expensive sport, it all comes down to belief in yourself. If you put your mind to it and work hard, you can go far, just as they did,” he said.
Ikeda stresses the importance of discipline and dedication.
“Start young, practice often, and never give up. As a kid, I just enjoyed the game, but I stayed focused and kept improving and believe in your potential.”
When asked what brought him to Fiji, Ikeda smiled and said, “I wanted to see how people live here, it’s so different from Japan. I can say how lucky I am to be in Fiji.”
He arrived on December 26 to heavy rain, which, as he admitted, was initially disappointing.
“The first two days were just rain, and I thought I was wasting my time. But people here told me to relax and enjoy ‘Fiji time.’ It’s a concept I’ve come to appreciate.”
By December 28, the skies cleared, allowing Ikeda to venture out, explore Denarau, and finally enjoy a round of golf at the Denarau golf club.
Ikeda’s journey in golf began at the age of six, setting him on a path to stardom. Since turning professional in 2008, he has remained a dominant force in Japanese golf, winning at least one tournament every season from 2009 to 2017.
He also represented Japan in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Notably, he reached a career-high Official World Golf Ranking of 33rd in both 2009 and 2016.
“Playing in all the major tournaments, the US PGA Tour, the British Open has been a highlight. Winning 21 times on the Japanese Tour is something I’m very proud of,” he added.
“Golf as given me so much, from playing in Japan to competing internationally it’s been a journey of learning and growth and the lessons i learned along the way is valuable.”
At 1.76m tall and weighing 76kg, Ikeda is not just an athlete but a role model for aspiring golfers.
” Success doesn’t happen overnight, trust your journey.”
